7

7ⁱ

 

                                                            

I know what it's like to limit one's appetites and one's activities. I know how rewarding self-discipline can be. In fact I'm troubled by the lack of self-control of so many of our children and adults, who have been taught that no one should judge anyone else, and all of us can have what we want. I fear that the idea that we should have no limitations placed on us leads to a kind of narcissism and lack of concern for others – and, indeed, for religious doctrine – that says, “I am the measure of all things.” It's hard to fault the approach of modern parents, that of building a child's-self confidence and self-image. That behavior is meritorious, but too often such an approach is substituted for the control that emphasized limits, and respect for others, that were considered critical parts of child-rearing in previous generations.

I'm an observant Jew. Specifically, I observe the Sabbath – which means that for one day a week I do not ride any motorized vehicle, cook, or turn electricity on or off. It's a challenge, but for me and many others it's a rewarding way of life. The restrictions are quite limiting, but I accept them as “right,” and build my life around them.

And every day of the week – not just the Sabbath – I limit what I eat. The foods permitted to me have been supervised and approved by various agencies I trust, and are free from any non-kosher content. That means I refrain from, among other things, pork, shellfish, and even kosher species not slaughtered according to specific standards,ⁱⁱ and by an individual learned in the laws that are applicable to this practice. The laws are strict and they're difficult to follow, but they conform to the traditions of my people and to a respect for the feelings of the animals that form a part of our diet.

I've written before about veganism.ⁱⁱⁱ I noted that I really didn't understand it. There are various reasons given for the philosophy, including sensitivity, morality, taste, and self-discipline, and I understand them all in the abstract. But it was my view that the restrictions would be impossible to actually carry out without many compromises being made. I haven't changed my view. In addition, however, other restrictions have occurred to me that reinforce my wonder. The one of greatest concern – in addition to previous limitations I've mentioned, is the one made famous by the 1967 movie, “The Graduate.”

Mr. McGuire: I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Benjamin: Yes, sir. Mr. McGuire: Are you listening? Benjamin: Yes, I am. Mr. McGuire: Plastics.

Plastics. Almost the foundation of our society, these materials are based on dead dinosaurs. It's hard to find a manufactured product that does not include them. They're obvious in most packaging, but are less visible in automobiles, electronic devices, washing machines, and just about everything else. Mr. McGuire was prescient in an economic sense, however the material itself limits the use of all these products by those who abjure anything that derives from animals.^iv After all, fossil fuels are off limits.

But there are alternatives.

Although mostly derived from petrochemicals, and, therefore, anathema to vegans, there is a form of plastic^v that is produced from purely vegetable sources. It's called polylactic acid and is manufactured from vegetable starch – corn starch in the United States. While it is only used in a small number of products at the moment, it must be reassuring to know that its applicability may increase.

But there's a large cloud in front of that silver lining. Along with the use of corn ethanol as a substitute for gasoline, the origin is likely to be problematic. According to Wikipedia, it will have “a negative impact to human food supply. It takes 2.65 pounds of corn to make a pound of polylactic acid, the commonest commercially compostable plastic. Since 270 million tonnes^vi of plastic are made every year, replacing conventional plastic with corn-derived polylactic acid would remove 715 million tonnes from the world's food supply, at a time when global warming is reducing tropical farm productivity.”

There are other limitations as well. Not all types of plastics can be used for every task. And polylactic acid can't be expected to replace all the other varieties. Which means that some limitations will remain.

When you consider these restrictions along with all the others,^vii the burden of a truly observant vegan becomes obvious. I can only marvel at the dedication of those who would observe a scrupulous observance of these principles.

But I still don't understand them.

Next episode: “Seasons Of Our Discontent” – It ain't over till it's over – and maybe not even then.

i     Actually the “7” should be within a triangle made up of arrows, as a symbol of a particular type of packaging.

ii    In some locations these standards are outlawed in the name of “animal rights.” Other methods of killing animals are perfectly acceptable, but from their perspective, if it's kosher, it's not kosher. There are many who see the legal restrictions as a way of legitimizing and sanctifying anti-semitism. It's a way to pretend bias is motivated by virtue.

iii      “The Amoeba And The Oak Tree,” June 17, 2012.

iv    And that includes living animals as well as those killed for what they can provide. Milk and wool, for example, even though they can be derived from their sources without requiring slaughter, are seen as products of the “exploitation” of animals and, therefore, unacceptable.

v     It's recyclable, too. Number 7. “Other.”

vi    It's the British version of Wikipedia.

vii   No transportation in any vehicle that uses fossil fuels, no use of electricity – even to power vehicles that don't use gasoline, avoidance of non-meat products of animals – products like leather and felt, and, of course, the food itself. No good deed goes unpunished.